Separator



March 4, 195s W. L. SCHEIRMAN ET AL SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 20, 1956 GLEN @..OPEL *ik Wa 1 1. xAM L Sc-,HERMAN IN V EN TORS Arve/EY tSEPARATOR L. Scheirman, Oklahoma City, Ghia., and Glen C. Opel, Baton* Rouge, La., assignors to Slash, Sivalls & Bryson, Inc., Kansas' City, Mo., a corporation oi Delaware Application February 20, 1956, Serial No. 566,666

3 .laims A(Cl. `18S-2.7)

The present invention relates generally to a vaporliquid separator.Y More specifically'the present invention relates to a separator' used to.y separate hydrocarbon condensate and -water' from gas in the processing of high pressurenaturalgas wellstreams. i

A separator lfor use in processing `high pressure natural gas wellstreams at low temperatures usually is Vdesigned to have a gas inlet between an upper gas 1outlet anda l'ower liquid .collecting space. This Kdesign allows the 'formation ,of a cold blanket of gas above the 'collected liquids and vhas been previously described and is well known in the art. Separatorsk for this type service are usually required to make a separation between the two immiscible liquids collecting' in lthe lower portion thereof` and to provide suffcientheat to said collected liquids to melt'hydrate's and prevent freezing. The separation of'th'e two liquidsis Vcomplicated by the' convection currentsl incidental to the heating and is further hindered by the dumping into the collected liquids of other liquids whit/h have been separated fromthe gas stream prior to its introductioninto the separator'. The separation of the condensed liquids from the denuded gas is a problem in suchrseparators since most mist extractors or eliminator-s 'would soon become blocked by the gas hydrat'cs 'formed Vin the low temperatu'regas. Also,` since 'iri most units the gas Vstream7 is expanded through 'a Vvchoke" directly into the separator, the attendant fhigh entrance velocities cause Amuch turbulence and prevent adequate 'separation of'theliquids entrai-ned inthega's.' Y Y H Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide anpapparatuswhich may beused asa separator in low temperature s'y's'tems'of processing high 'presf sure natural gas.

Further.objectsof the present invention are to provide an apparatus'to separate two liquids 'and va gas having heating means `for th'eliquids; to provide `a separator which utilizes'thej'eritrance velocities ofthe flow stream "as an aidt'o the separation offentrained liquids ands'olids in the gas componentof the flow; and, to 'provide'an apparatus designates a separator which is formed'of heads 2 and 3 and a`cylindricalshell4. Based is secured to lower head 3 and 'provides adequate support jfor separator l.

Inlet duct .6 exendsthrough shell 4 and is constructed to ydischarge the ow stream tangentially onto the inner surface of shell 4. Annuler plate 7 is positioned slightly above the opening of inlet duct 6 in shell 4- and is secured around its outer periphery to the inner surface of shell 4. Flange 8 depends from the inner periphery ci plate 7 a United States Patent@ F discharge from `zone 14 in response 'to the g; Patented Mar. 4, ross ice 2 substantial distance below the opening of inlet duct 6 into shell 4. Gas outlet duct 9 is shown extending through the central portion of Vupper head 2 but'it may bepo'sitioned any place in the upper portion'of separator-'f 1 above plate 7. Y T

Heating coil il? is positioned within the lower portion of separator 1 andis connected Vto inletdu'ct llandoutlet ductlZ.

Tubular member 13 is positioned centrally within shell 4 extending'irom" av position above theflower'edgiof flange 8 and terminating in'a hydrocarbohliquidcol. lecting zone 14. Zone''14fis`bounded"byfupperplte' :'15 through which tubular member l''extends, 'lower "plate 16 and sidewall 1'7: W1 '"f A second tubular .member 18 extends through lower plate 16, zone 14 and a substantialdistanceintotubiar 'member 13 wherethe jwalls of memberlS'are sptied from VVthe walls of 'member 131-asshown`in`the`fgure. lLiquid levercontroller connect-ionv 19 extends through shell 4 and 'sidewall' A17 t prvideac'cessrtoz'one te forfnat 2i) or other .liquidllevel sensing device." Outlt du, Q21 extends out through sidewall 17 "and shell"4'a1id"has" a suitable control valve" (not showin) controlling the liquid level "of the liquid therein indicatedby Yioat 20. Y

Tubular member 22`i's1p'ositioned in surrounding spaced relationship" `with me'n'iber|` 13a'nd has its 'upper' edge i at the same level as'the-upper edge of niember''i'hese upper edgesf of members 1'3 and 22 are joined by an'ntilar ring 23'.k Member 'Z'..Z- extends downwardlyf'a'round"rhein- `ber 13 providinga` dead `gs space 24 'therebetween `:and

terminates a shortffdistance above 'plate'l Liquid level controller connection 25 is provided in the lower portionoi fseparator 1" for interface oat 25for other interface' serisr'igfdevice.` A water outlet duct'/ extends through head 3 'and has a valve ('not showin) controllingthe water being' dumped from separator "13-Y in response to the levelof 'the hydrocarbon condensate-'water interface as indicated by ioa'tr- 2,6. Y Duct' 28 is''provided for the discharge 'of previously separatedv liquidsinto separatori. Duct y`2j8'e`itends` through shell 4 and terminates in a small compartment composed of bai`platef29 and upper perforated plate 30.'

In operation, the inuent'strearn is discharged into separator 1 through inlet"duct 6."A Generallyfa pressurereducing valve or choke (not shown) is used ltcprovidetl1e requisite pressure drop tothe point of maximum 'icondensation of the dcsirable'constituents of the" stream and to provide suiiici'ent expansion refrigeration to obtain' the desired separation temperature. Thus, the inuentstreahl is discharged onto the inner surface of shell 4' at high velocities. Annuler plate 7 prevents the' 'stream from spreading into'the upper vportion of separator land'p'os. sible loss of someof' the valuable hydrocarbon condensate through gas outlet duct9.' Also,"ange Y3, byeiitending downwardly to a' level below' the entrance `of"inlet"`du ct 6, prevents the gas from iowing directlyto 'outlet duct?. This feature allowsthe height of separator 41 to bfe' substantially reduced since'ajdirect ow path to gasoutlet duct Y9 is preventedjy Thus', by causir'igthegasto` ow downwardly andthen upwardly to gas outlet'gductf9g'the reversal of ow will cause any entrained liquidsad Vo'lids to be dropped out of the gas stream. 'The high" trant velocity provides a centrifugal type separation ofthe gas and liquid phases offthezow stream and thee" Ved space betweriange' S' and'sh'ell'li causes the flo @maintain itshishsntrantfelo.. .Y 1 f wo'ldunder'iciiditins ifithe' iiilef stream nt'bei'g contimed. This additional high velocity will prolong the liquid separation due to centrifugal action.

The separated condensed liquids and solids (usual/ly Y from'the `spirit of the Ypresent invention; t

s Von as previously discussed Y, Y Y' @From theltoregoing it may Y, hydrocarbon condensate,k water and Ygas hydrates) flow Ydown the inner surface of .shell 4 and collect in the'lower portion of separator l and areheated by heating vcoils 19 toV meltand decompose gas hydrates. Y Vusually accomplished by'initially ilowing thetwarm flow iostream through inletduct v11, Yheating coils it! and outlet Thisf heating is duct 12. It should bernoted that any other iiuid which isrreadily available andY whichV possesses the necessary warmth for Ythis heating may be used without departing The liquids condensed in separator 1 and thosedumped into separator 1 through duct'Z are usuallyra mixture of hydrocarbon'condensates and water. The water may contain'some hydrate inhibitor but since inhibitors are selected to beimmiscible with hydrocarbon condensates they will not alect thenormal water and condensate separation.

,t These liquid components'are immiscible and therefore may be readily separate'drbry providing a stlling chamber or zone and the Aproper decanting structure. T hns, the lower d portion of separator 1'is a stilling Zone. Baie 29 and plate 30 are provided to prevent turbulence inthestilling Zone Y V Y of separator 1 when liquids are dumped therein"throughV duct 2S.V Heating coil 10 extendsv down into thek water collecting in the lower portion of separator 1 to prevent it from freezing and to melt any hydrates which might reach this lower portion of separator 1 without melting.

As previously described, the liquids'separated from the inliuent stream c'olvlect'in thelowerportionof'separatoi Yby flowing downrthe inner surface of shell Ll.Y :The separa- Y tion ofthe hydrocarbon condensate and water takes place becauserof Ytheir different specific,gravitie's.VY rihe water, Y' Y being heavier, will settle tothe bottom'of 7 separatorV and j;

may be discharged `therefrom throughfwaterl outlet V,duct

Y Y 27.'` Float YZt'is adjusted to 'causethe dischargerof'surf Vcient water throughwater outlet duct 27 to maintain the' interface betweenY the'V water; and hydrocarbon condensate well belowl'ower'plate 16.,V VSince the separated hydrocarbonV condensate has to llow up'through tubularmemoer VVio'be discharged, it is necessary to maintain the hydrocarbon condensate water Vinterface well below the lower opening of tube 18tto prevent the dischargeV of water/with l, the'hydroca'rbon condensate. Y Y Y p I Y The upper edge of tubular member Y1781is, positioned at aV Y height to maintain the desired level of liquids inY separator V1'.i5 This desired level shouldrbeaborve Ythe upper'cloil1 o heating coils 19. The separatedV hydrocarbon condensate AVoverflowing the upper edgerofrm'ember 18 collects in hyn e yThe collected .Y hydrocarbon V4condensate ,isf kdischarged vfrom zone id drorcarbon liquid ycollectingzone 1:4.V

through duet 271 underthe control of a valveV (not` shown) member 13. i

is such that any hydrates formed will fall or bie carried directly, tothe lower portion` of separatori. V',Alsofithe smoothness of Vthe inner surfaee of shell 4 -is such'asfto asesaza Vvided an improved apparatus for separating hydrocarbon condensate water and gas of a high pressure natural gas.

Also, we have provided a vertical low temperature separator having a novel inlet bailleV which allows a reduction in separator height without the usual concomitant reduction in capacity of the separator." Y We have further provided a f Y low temperature separator withv novel structure Yto prevent Y freezing of the liquids collecting therein and havingxanovel structure to allow the entrance of other Yco'ndensates` separated from the gas stream without interference with `the gravity separationof hydrocarbon condensate and ,t Y

water. Y Y VWhat we claim and 'desire is: Y Y Y Y i i 1. A gas-oiliwater separator comprising,V a vessel, Van inlet into the upper portion of said vessel,`a gas outlet from said vessel above said inlet, a water outlet in therlowerV i Y portion ofV said vesselL a Vllydrocarhon Yliquid collecting chamber above said water outlet Aand below-said inlet, an Y overow piperconnected to said chamber and extending a substantial distance above said chamber, a tubular member connected to said chamber extending upwardly in sur- Y rounding relationship Yto said overflow pipe and terminatY ing in theY upper Vportion of said vessel vsubstantially Yaboye the upper portion of-said overflow pipe, an insulating to securerbyY Letters Patent' Y. Y Y Y:

member'connected to and surrounding the upperportion t of said tubular member and extending downwardly a sub- Vst'antial distance Vto form an'insulatingtspace surroundin'g `said tubular member, means connectingrthe lower yportion ber, an Youtlet fromv said chambentmeans controlling the and meanscontrolling `the discharge.ofifwaterfromftheA lower portion of said vessel through Vsaid wateroutletf Y: ,e

Y2. A high pressure gas-oil-water separator' comprising, j i

Vof Vsaid Vvessel to said overilow pipe toV allow hydrocarbon Y condensate to overllow said Vpipejand ow intoV saidich'am-Y dischargeV of hydrocarbon condensate frornlsaid chamber 'Y a verticalvessel, a. tangentialrinlet into said vessel, agas g Y outlet from said'vessel above said inlet,VV afliquid collecting t Y Y zone Yin said vessel belowsaidrinlet, aV watery outlet from said vessel below'said inlet, an oil and hydrocarbon con- Vdensatev collecting chamber below said inlet and above said Water outlet, a iirst upstanding pipfe connected to an open- Y ing in the lower wall Vofksaid chamber Vanrd'extendin'g up- Ywardly above said chamberto approximately thedesired level of liquid in saidV Zone, asecond'upst'anding pipe'rsurrounding the upper portion ofsaid rst pipegffsaid'secondV pipe b'eing'connected toy an opening yin the'upperpwall oi Y t Vsaidrrcllamber and extending upwardlyrfasnbstantialrdisfV i tance above the uppermost portion of said iirstpipe, a

shielding membenspaced radially outward from said second/pipe and ,extendingY downward'a substantial distancel Y below said'desired liquid level, means Vconnecting the upfYY j per edges orfsaid'zshieldingmemberzandfsaid.secondrpipa ,Y te an outlet'duct from said'chamber Yextending ontthroughfg Y said vesseLtmrea'nscontrollingthe water level'in the lower portion'of said vessel and means controlling the 'oileandj Y' hydrocarbon eondensate leveltin said chambers!V 'Y imV Y discharge'of liquid into thebody ,of liquids `collecting'in Y said liquid collectingzone. l

prevent Vthe collection OihydrateSwhen therelisrfluid ow -Y ,tn/er.suchsurfaceL` The surface'of steel platev normally',V f used in the manufacture of low Y'temperature separators has Y snicient smoothness toV prevent'hydrate collectionY there-VVK *70:

be'seen tliatwe have pro# Y bailleV means to prevent YVeircessive 4turbulence Y due 'toY the Referenties cned in therme er disparan 1 *UNITED STATESrATErsrrs` 1,925,491V YLorraine Y Y e f 'sepsis, 1933 2,528,028 Banyan.` 10er. 31, i950 Y 2,738,026 Glasgowret al...; 'Man 13, 1956V l 3. Invention,accordingrto claim 2 includingia liculuirleinlet into saidV vessel" below saidrrdesired liquid'leveha'nd 

